U.S. Central Command head Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said last month that “The attack on the oil fields in Saudi was stunning in the depth of its audaciousness. I wouldn’t rule that out going forward.” To deter the aggression, Washington has increased force deployments to the Persian Gulf by roughly 14,000 U.S. troops since last spring. In addition, the U.S. has set up the International Maritime Security Construct, a now seven-country mission to police the Strait of Hormuz to ensure freedom of navigation for international vessels.

All indications to this point are that Iran is in some way responsible for the Sept. 14 attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, at a Pentagon news conference today, Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said.

[September 16, 2019]

The attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities was carried out by low altitude cruise missiles, likely launched from an Iranian base near the Iraqi border, according to Saudi and US investigators.

[September 16 2019 Amirli Iraq: U S objected to assault, leaked details and criticism of Israel ]
U.S. officials say that the damage done to the north-facing parts of the Buqayq and Khurais facilities suggest the attack instead came across the Persian Gulf from Iraq or Iran. According to a report by the Middle East Eye, an anonymous Iraqi intelligence official said the Abqaiq Saudi Arabia attacks were launched from southern Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces bases in retaliation to Saudi-funded Israeli drone strikes on the Iraqi forces in August.

[August 25 2019]

C-17 Globemaster III during a humanitarian air drop of 40 container delivery system bundles filled with fresh drinking water over the area if Amirli, Iraq Aug. 31, 2014.

The United States objected to the assault, over concern that it would hinder ties with the government in Baghdad, and it made sure to leak details and criticism of Israel to the New York Times, which was published on Friday. Amos Harel military correspondent and defense analyst Haaretz

AUG. 31, 2014U.S. military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Iraq, using fighter and attack aircraft to conduct two airstrikes today, one near Amirli.

The strike near Amirli damaged an ISIL tank. All aircraft exited the strike area safely.

The strikes were conducted under authority to protect U.S. personnel and facilities, support humanitarian efforts, and support Iraqi forces that are acting in furtherance of these objectives.

BAGHDAD (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on an Iranian weapons depot in Iraq was confirmed by U.S. officials The July 19 attack targeted Amirli in the northern Salaheddin province A leading Shiite Muslim cleric issued a public religious edict, or fatwa, on August 23 2019 that forbids the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq following the strikes. In his fatwa, Iran-based Grand Ayatollah Kazim al-Haeri also urged Iraq’s armed forces to “resist and confront the (U.S.) enemy”.

[August 21 2019 whose drones hitting PMF ]

Explosions at Iran sponsored Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, munitions depots, one north of Baghdad, a July 19 blast, was blamed on a drone as was one that hit a base in Amirli, northern Iraq, The U.S. has no evidence or credible intelligence that Israel was behind the two most recent blasts — on August 19 or on Aug. 12 2019. They also said the U.S. was not responsible for any of the strikes. The CIA, however, also runs its own clandestine drone program separate from the U.S. military. The CIA declined to comment on the explosions.

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

About huecri

Publishing on the Web is a fairly iterative process. ...NYT The problem is that everyone has a different heroic truth-teller, because we’re all preoccupied by different bullshit. William Davies, Guardian ...Not too long ago, reporters were the guardians of scarce facts delivered at an appointed time to a passive audience. Today we are the managers of an overabundance of information and content, discovered, verified and delivered in partnership with active communities. summer 2012 issue of Nieman Reports from Harvard,
---
THE FIX by Chris Cillizza, WAPO blogger, quoting Matt Drudge: “We have entered an era vibrating with the din of small voices,” he said in the speech. “Every citizen can be a reporter.” Later, he added: “The Net gives as much voice to a 13 year old computer geek like me as to a CEO or Speaker of the House. "